The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-01-22
CARDINAL NEWMAN.



the only member of the Oratory who
has another apartment in addition to
his bedroom. One of these rooms is
used for his study. a portion of it being
partitioned off as place for saying
mass in. Another room leading out Of
his sitting-room is used as bedroom.
No visitor is allowed to penetrate either
of these rooms. The fathers have free
access to their superior at any time,
but about servants entering he Is very
particular He has an Irish servant
named James Cusacks whom he is very
fond of. This. James is very faithful,
and. although one of the rough ''old
boys" of Handy Andy's school, he is
much liked by the fathers.
The simplicity of John Henry New
mans life and the plainness of his per-
sonal surroundings have in no sense
been affected by the high dignity of
the Cardinate, which was given to him
in 1879. His two rooms are furnished
in style that might be called that of
simple monk of the present time.
His personal attire is that of an Orato-
rian father-the only difference between
him and the other fathers being that
he wears red biretta, red stockings.
red band around his waist, red buttons
to cossock, red trimmings, in fact. and
q pictorial cross attached to . chain.
Every morning he rises at five, without
any one to awaken him, dresses with
out assistance. shaves himself, and
then is engaged in saying Office until
seven. At that hour one Of the novices,
or in his absence, one of the fathers.
serves "the fathers mass" which is
said in that part of his room which is
partitioned off. ~
Breakfast being finished at about
nine o'clock he returns to his room,
where his devotions, correspondence,
studies and the book he is now engaged
on occupy him till 1870 o'clock, which
is his punctual dinner-time. When
ever the fathers desire to see him they
have free excess to his room. But it is
not often now that he cares to be
troubled with particulars of any domes-
tic matter; and If he has to be consulted
on some important thing, the fewest
words are chosen to gain the desired
effect. The ''Oratory boys have seen
but little of their president of late
years. They meet him sometimes in
the lower corridor as they come to
meals in the house, or at the rehearsals
of the plays. in which his Eminence
takes such an interest. When the boys
meet s.the father" they take off their
hats to him, as the head of the house..
He does not like even the fathers Of the
house to go out OF their way to open q
door. nor does he like any one to genu-
fleet to him, unless it be when the
fathers ask his blessings before going
out At 1:30 the Cardinal comes down
to dinner. This is the only meal he
does not take with his family. 1t is
very plain, and instead of a. father
serving him the butler assists.
For the last two years the Cardinal
has never gone out in the afternoon.
He used to go in the summer to- the
fathers country-house at Rednal near
Bromsgrove, near to which thefei9 the.
burying-ground ofthe deceased fathers
1t is here that the body of Father Am
brose st. John rests, the father whom
the Cardinal loved as q brother and
whose name now, as when he was
preaching at his requiem. is enough to
move the Cardinal to tears. In. 1880
his Eminence used to go there on the
Monday and stay till the Friday or
Saturday for many weeks, taking with
him or having sent to him the pro-
visions to last during his stay. This.
year the fatigue is too much for him.
He scarcely ever goes out except from
his rooms in the house to that in the
school while the former are being
cleaned. At $50 he obeys the voice Of
the vesper- bell, and is usually the first
at vespers, which are sometimes said
in the chapel of st. Philip, sometimes
in the chapter-room of the house. :
Vespers take less than fifteen minutes. !,
The reader then comes from the pull
pit. the two servers take off their
aprons, out goes the butler, who rings
what is called the s.second bell, which
would be at about 6:l5. Any father
who has not been able to- come In for
the first dinner does so now. One of
the servers, whose name has been
called on by the lector. brings forth
some difficult theological point. upon
which he is supposed to have doubt.
Various fathers give their opinions.
The argument ceased, the Cardinal
gives his decision on it, and then one
by one, he leading the way. they all
walk to the fathers recreation room,
where, on feasts such as Easter, des-
sert consisting of fruit, wine and cake
has been placed on the table Whether
it be feast day or not, the father aud
his children talk as other scholars and
gentlemen talk, of politics, the affairs
of the world and general topics Of the
house. At seven p. m. the father
leaves for his study. where his work
and his divine Office occupy him till ten
p. m. when he always retires.-Free-